Lock for car-gates.



M. J. LOPTUS.

LOOK FOR OAR GATES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. a, 1010.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

MARTIN J. LOFTUS, OF JESSUP, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOCK FOR GAR-GATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed December 8, 1910. Serial No. 596,376.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN J. LOFTUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jessup, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Looks for Car-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for fastening end gates preferably those of mine cars which are now being fastened by slipping an iron ring over a stud or rod which forms part of the tail gate, as will he fur ther described herein. I mention the use of this particular kind of fastening device which is now in use because my invention is an improvement over this, whereby the doors or gates of the cars are locked against any accidental opening, as by the above men tioned ring being jarred from the stud.

A more accurate description of the invention will be had by referring to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a part of a mine car showing the invention in locked position, and Fig. 2 is a View of a back end of a mine car, also showing the invention in its locked position.

Let the numeral 1 designate the floor or bottom of a mine car mounted upon truck wheels 2.

The numeral 3 represents the side board' ings of the car braced or reinforced by the studdings 4, 5 and 6, and further strengthened by the top beam 7, upon which is fastened the hinges 8 for swinging the door or gate 9, the hinges 8, of course, being provided with portions 10 which are attached to the door. So far, the description is that of an ordinary mine car and nothing in the construction herein described is claimed.

The studdings 4 are provided with apertures in which are fitted staple like devices 11 provided with abutments 12 which prevent them from being inserted in the opening beyond a certain point. The staples 11 are secured in the openings or apertures in the studdings 4 by means of nuts 13. A link 14 is loosely engaged with the staple 11. This link is for the purpose of locking the car door by fastening it over the post 15 which is mounted on the gate 9 as is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The link is the connecting member of the staple 11 and the post 15 which locks the gate. Thus far the gate is fastened in the usual way and one can readily understand how easy it might be for the link i l to become jarred from the post 15, while the car is in motion. To avoid this I have added the twisted link 16, which is loosely connected with the link 14. Fastened to the bottom of the car by screws or any other means are brackets 17 having pivoted therein bent pins 18, normal position of which is shown in full lines in the figures. After the car gate has been closed and fastened by slipping the link 14. over the post 15 the link is then securely held in this position by means of the link 16 being engaged with pin 18 which is done by turning the pin 18 so that it will occupy the position shown in dotted lines, then slipping the link 16 over the pin 18 and then turning the pin 18 back to its normal position, which as before said is shown in full lines in the draw ing. One can readily see that while the pin 18 is in its normal position it is impossible for the link 16 to be disconnected therefrom, and since the link 16, while in its engagement with the pin 18, is the means by which the link 14 is prevented from any accidental movement, the car gate will be absolutely locked.

There are various other forms of my invention which might be herein specifically described and illustrated, but in View of the fact that I wish to claim broadly what I have above described, it is thought needless to embody herein any modified forms.

What I claim is:

1. A look for car gates consisting of a link loosely connected with the body of the car and adapted to fit over a projection of the gate, and a second link loosely connected with the first link adapted to fit over a pin, whereby the first link is prevented from accidentally becoming disengaged.

2. A lock for car gates consisting of a link loosely connected with the body of the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, car, a post over which the link is adapted to in presence of two witnesses.

fit, a second link loosely engaged with the first mentioned link, a locking pin which is MARTIN J. LOFTUS. adapted to be engaged by the said second link and a bracket mounted on the car body Wit into which the locking pin is pivoted for the MICHAEL FAGAN purpose herein described. J F

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

